© 2025 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WFSU-FM is currently broadcasting at reduced power. We apologize for this inconvenience. And remember, you can stream or listen to WFSU on the App.

Most Big Bend Counties Slip In Health Rankings

Leon County has fallen out of Florida’s Top 10 Healthiest, according to a new survey. Leon and most of the surrounding counties saw their rankings slide.

Leon County fell three spots to number 12 on the county-by-county health rankings. The list is produced annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin.

The decline comes as other counties have made improvements in their health outcomes. In a statement, the Leon County health department says it continues to work on issues like obesity and sexually-transmitted infections.

Wakulla  was 34th Franklin 48th and Gadsden ranked 61st. Jefferson County managed to move up a spot to 57th

The survey examines areas such as lifespan, economic and social factors, health and medical care. The five healthiest counties are St. Johns, Collier, Martin, Seminole and Miami-Dade counties.

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University and Florida State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master's in Professional Communication. Lynn has been with WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She has worked with several organizations, including Kaiser Health News.  Lynn has also partnered with USC-Annenberg's Center for Child Wellbeing on the nationally acclaimed series "Committed," which explored the prevalence of involuntary commitment use on children.
She serves on the board of RTDNA and the United Way of the Big Bend, with previous service on the board of the First Amendment Foundation of Florida.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.